Just out., January 01, 2013, Page 16, Image 16

Community
(PROTECTION)
LGBTQ SENIORS
Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley recently signed on as a co-spon-
sor of the LGBT Elder Americans Act of 2012, which would
amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to provide equal treat-
ment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender older individu-
als. OAA serves as the country’s leading vehicle for delivering
services to older people nationwide, providing more than $2
billion annually in nutrition and social services. However, even
though LGBT individuals experience increased vulnerability
and unique barriers to healthy aging, they have not been in-
cluded in the OAA to date.
GAIL SHIBLEY
If passed, the LGBT Elder Americans Act of 2012 would:
Include LGBT individuals in the categoriza-
tion of vulnerable populations with the great-
est economic and social need.
Permanently establish the National Resource
Center on LGBT Aging, the country’s first
and only technical assistance resource cen-
ter aimed at improving the quality of services
and supports offered to LGBT adults.
Prioritize research and development grants
for organizations working to improve services
for LGBT older adults.
Require long-term data collection and analy-
sis relating to the needs of LGBT older adults,
program effectiveness and discrimination
against LGBT older adults in long-term care
settings.
(SHOOTING)
Clackamas “Gayngel”
Last month’s shooting at the busy Clackamas Mall during the holiday
shopping season was a tragedy, but sometimes terrible things can
bring forth the good in people. One woman is calling Allan Fonseca,
a young man working at the make-up counter in Macy’s, her per-
sonal savior.
Fonesca says he wasn’t really thinking when he pulled customer
Jocelyn Lay behind the Macy’s counter when they both heard shots
at 3:30 p.m., but soon after he knew just what to do. Because he was
familiar with the exits, he led her to safety before going back to the
“shooting floor” and looking for other scared shoppers to lead to the
nearest exit.
Commenters on the story have taken to calling the young hero the
Clackamas “gayngel.”
16
JustOut.com
(CITY HALL)
Chief of Staff
NEW MAYOR CHARLIE HALES ANNOUNCED THE AP-
POINTMENT OF GAIL SHIBLEY AS HIS CHIEF OF STAFF,
EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 17, 2012. SHIBLEY HAS SERVED
AS PUBLIC HEALTH ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE OREGON
HEALTH AUTHORITY FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS, AND
HAS BEEN A LEADER IN SETTING OREGON’S STRATE-
GIC DIRECTION TO PROTECT HEALTH FROM ENVIRON-
MENTAL RISK. SHE HAS SERVED THREE TERMS AS AN
OREGON STATE REPRESENTATIVE WHERE SHE WAS A
LEADER IN SUCCESSFULLY PROMOTING PROGRESSIVE
URBAN, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES AS
WELL AS BEING THE FIRST OUT LESBIAN THERE, HOLD-
ING OFFICE FROM 1991 TO 1996. THE NATIVE OREGO-
NIAN GREW UP IN ALBANY AND RECEIVED HER BACH-
ELOR OF ARTS FROM UNIVERSITY OF OREGON, AND
HER JD FROM LEWIS & CLARK LAW SCHOOL.
(CHILDREN)
CAMP STARLIGHT
After 15 years of bringing joy, support, and just plain fun to hundreds of
HIV/AIDS-affected and infected children, Cascade AIDS Project (CAP)
is pleased to announce that Camp Starlight is now an official program
within the agency’s Housing and Support Services department. This
integration gives CAP full administrative, programming and financial
oversight for Camp, including recruiting volunteers, raising the money
needed to fund the effort, and collaborating with organizations to make
sure HIV-impacted families throughout Oregon and SW Washington
are aware of the opportunity to send their children to the free, week-long
Camp on the Oregon Coast. Camp Advisory Committee will hold a re-
treat to review volunteer positions, Camp policies, and to map out next
steps for the next Camp Starlight, which will be held in August 2013.
cascadeaids.org/support-services/camp-starlight
January 2013